Articulated roller conveyer



April 24, 1951 I c. w. PARISI 2,550,201

ARTI CULATED ROLLER CONVEYER 'fz/4 .50 62a 27 50 April 24, 1951 c. W. PARISI 2,550,201

ARTICULATED ROLLER CONVEYER Filed Nov. 18, la@ 2 sheets-sheet 2 .52a ,24- /ZL f4L 5p l'mmlWT Mmmm-Tr- 22 "Mun, TH-W1 mil-iu 22 J/ 412 J5 56 52 5 56) f3 43 @MUNI v` Patented Apr. 24.1951

= t UNITED STAT Es y PATENT o Fries Y l ARTCULTEi/SR .A

Charles W.v ParisLfMaywood, vIll.`,assignor V to J-ules 'T. Paris`i, doing business as :Pekay Machine Co.,

'Chcago, Ill.

claims.

l'.'Ihis lrwen'tion relates Ato conveyors -of .the gravity Vro'ller type and it is .concerned Aprimarily with a-novel supportingstructurefor the rollers. v '.The.primary .object of the invention `is -to .provide a .conveyor .of the `gravity roller type hav- .ingan articulated .supporting frame for therollers -Which permits the rollers to Abe variously `arranged angular .relation to each other-so `that -the conveyor forms variously curved paths vvfor jtheloads which travel upon it.

4vAnother object-of .the invention is yto -provide Ysupporting .framework for a gravity vroller conveyor consisting of frame units -pivotally connected together :to form -an l:articulated structure adapted toffollow various contours in accordance Y serve to pivotally couple the rst rmentionedunits into a continuous -articulated series.

:Ajfurther object Aof the invention is to provide a frelativelysimple Aand economical frame vstruc- .ture .for agravity roller conveyor-consisting of a plurality fof .consecutive Tunits `pivotallyconnected .together `for Aangularadjustment, relative -to each other.

Other objects and advantages-of the invention WilLappea-r from the following description taken in connection with :the drawings in which:

Fig. ..1 is-a diagrammatic plan View fon a relatively :small scale Vshowing in full lines fa gravity roller lconveyor of v4articulated construction arranged to-.form a curved path :for the loads 'thereon,.and showing, in dotted lines, two possi-ble -arrangements of the articulated sections of the conveyor.

Fig. 2 Vis a top plan View on a much larger scale .than Fig. .1, showing several consecutive -sections of a conveyor embodying this invention.

1Eig. 3 isaside elevation rof the structure show in Fig.-2.

'Figwl `is -a Afragmentary sectional view showing the lowerportion of a ysupporting `leg -of ad'- ,instable-construction. i

" t ffFig. 5 is/.a Yfrontelevationof one of the yleg Y Fig". Etis a top planview of thefcouplingzsection shown .Ei-g. 6, with -t-he rollers'omitted.

Fig. Y9 is-a topfplan view'of the supported sec- -tion shown 4in Fig. 5, with the rollers omitted.

Fig. .10 is -a -fragmentary rdetail section taken `asi-ndicated alt-line l0 |0 lon Fig.5.

The rollerconveyor-illustrated in Fig. 1 `as an embodiment of 'the invention includes the-section Vl!) comprisingseveral rollers carried in sideframe plates l2, said plates being connected by cross members I-4, -I'4 and supported'onlegs lr6, I-6,said legs .beingconnected in pairs'by tie members l1. This section may be `considered as the terminal portion of a 'longer gravity conveyor extending from a factoryproduction line or serving "as -a part thereof, or installed in a shipping room for delivering the fnished product. The 'present invention is primarily concerned with additional :short sections which are pivotally connected to constitutean'articulated portion of the conveyor :adapted to l'be variously larranged. Fig. 1 vsuggests -tha't ftheadditional sections may follow ra "contourcurving first to the right andthen to the left, so Vas'to terminate at a point A, laterally'offset from -the center line of the section fl-ll. In dotted outline, -Fig. 1 shows an arrangement of vthe same articulated sections in -direct line with 'the section I-D so 'as to terminate lat B, while 'a ythird Vlarrangement fis shown in :dotted outline, `terminating at Ypoint C, oiset 'to the left of the rcenter line =of the 'section I'0. It may be -asvsumed, :for'exampla that the points A, B, and-C represent separate loading 'stations or platforms to whichthe :product traveling fromthe conveyor "section =I0 is to be delivered, fto be loaded onto trucksor cars, `andfthat 'when the truck at A has lbeen filled, 'the articulated conveyor fcan 'be shiftedtoideliverto the platformB and eventually ito the platiorm 'C`, as required. From a confsideration -of the following description of ytl-Ie structure itlwill be-evidentthat various other arfrangements'could be made; `for example, the'c'on- -veyor might terminate'along 'a direction at right 'angles 'to 'the center lline of the section lll from which loads are passed along to the articulated sections of the conveyor.

To provide for these various possibilities, 'the articulated portion of the conveyor consists of a number "of short sections of the :type designatedby theletter `D in 'Figs 2 Vand 3, fand inter# posed coupling sections, each designated Abiyith'e letter E in said views. Each of `the type-1D sec- :tions fco'nsists of a pair 4of angularv bars vwhich serve vas cross members 1'8, connected Vat their endsfa'syby welding, to side plates `2|] 'fwhiehserve to support rods or axles F22 on which A'conveyor rollers 24 are rotatably mounted. leg mem' ber 26 is Welded or otherwise secured at its upper end to each of the side plates 20, and at its lower end is provided with an adjustable foot 28. Cross ties 21 rigidly connect the legs 26. The rods or axles 22 may be removably secured in the plates 20 by :any convenient means. As shown in Fig. 2, the type D sections alternate With the type E sections, and the legs 26 of the type D sections are maintained in Vertical position by means of horizontal bracing members 30, each comprising a, larger tube 32 and a smaller tube 34 telescoped within it, said tubes being rigidly attached to terminal sleeves 36 and 38, respectively, which fit snugly but rotatably over the legs 26. Each leg 26 is provided with a collar 40 or other means forming a shoulder on which the sleeves 36 and 3B rest, as shown in Fig. 3.

VThe legs of the rst movable supporting section D may be connected to the forward legs I -6 of the stationary conveyor section I by horizontal bracing 30 similar to that just described 4as Shown in Fig. l3. Each of the type D sections includes a pair of upwardly open coupling sockets 42 secured respectively in rigid relation to the cross bars I8 atthe middle of their length, so that one of said vcoupling sock-ets is presented at the front of secthe front and rear of the section. vCylindrical coupling pivots 54, in the form of short sections of tubing, are welded or otherwise rigidly secured tothe projecting end portions of the T-bar 52 so` as to depend therefrom in spaced relation to the cross members 48. This arrangement permits the coupling pivots 54 to engage vin the sockets 42 so that a type E section connects two type D sections, as shown in Fig. 7, and said type D sections support the coupling section E between them, with the end portions of its T-bar 52 resting upon the upper ends of the sockets 42, and with the legs 26 of the type D sections supportingthe entire assembly. To stabilize the coupling section E, it may be provided with rigidly attached lbars 56 disposed intermediate the bar 52 iand the side plates 56, and projecting forwardly and rearwardly of the section E far enough so that their end portions rest upon the cross members I8 of the adjacent type D sections. Thus the rollers 24 of each section are maintained in substantially horizontal alignment with the rollers 24 of the next section. However, by reason of the pivotal couplings between the sections, they may be arranged with the rollers of each section disposed iniangular relation to the rollers of the next section, as shown in full lines in Figli.:

When the rollers 24 are thus angularly arranged, the ties between the legs 2-6 must'accommodat'ethe'mselves accordingly, and this is permitted by the telescopic relation of the parts 32 and 34. If desired, each of the outer tubes 32 may be vprovided with a set screw, as indicated at `53, or with any other convenient clamping expedient, for holding the ties at adjusted position so as to maintain the desired contour of the runway formed by the rollers 24. f..

When the runway includes curved portions, as shown in Fig. l, leading to the delivery points A and C, it is desirable that the rollers 24 be made in short sections so as to accommodate their speed more accurately to that of the two sides of the box or other load as it travels over them; accordingly, Fig. 2 shows these rollers extending only about half way across the conveyor. The axle rods 22 of the type E sections are supported at the middle by the upstanding Webs of the T-bars 52, and the T-bars 52aL similarly support the axles 22 in the type D sections; upwardly open notches 63 are formed in the Webs of the T-bars to receive the axle rods22. The webs of the T-bars 52 are shown with inclined end portions at '60 'and 62 which serve to reinforce the flanges of said bars which project beyond the cross-members 48 and transmit loads from the rollers 24 of the type E coupling sections onto the upper ends of the sockets 42l and thence Vthrough* the cross-members I 8 of the type D sections to the side plates 20 and legs 26 thereof.

Preferably, the side plates 20 sand 5I) of the legsupported sections and coupling sections, respectively, extendfsomewhat above the upper surfaces "of the rollers 2'4 so as to act as guard flanges to prevent loads or packages from rollingoff the conveyor, and, as shown, the initialrsection Il) has side plates I2 of the same height .as the side plates 20 and 50, and serving a similar purpose. In a conveyor section which is always straight, there is no occasion for employing short length rollers, and the rollers 64 of the section IU are therefore unitary from end to end. c

For most purposes it will be desirable that the load-carrying surface formed lby the rollers 24 and 64 be slightly'inclined downwardly toward the delivery points'A, B or C, and if the supporting floor is practically level, the inclination of the conveyor can be effected by adjusting the foot-pieces 28 of the several legs 26 lat different positions. As shown in Fig. 4, each foot-piece includes a threaded stern or shank 29 on which a nut 3| is adjustable to serve vas a shoulder for engagement by the lower end of the tubular leg 26. If the 'floor should have irregularities or depressions, as suggested at y66 in Fig. 3, the ad justable foot-piece 28, which, in this'particular instance, is shown associated with the leg I6, may be extended into the depression to keep the adjacent portion 'of the conveyor at the desired level. To permit the slight tilting of any of the short sections with respect to adjacent sections, the tubular coupling pivots v54 have outside diameters which are slightly smaller than the inside diameters of the sockets 42, thus permitting slight axial misalignment of these parts in coupled relation, When necessary.

Preferably, ias indicated in the drawings, most of the parts of this rstructure 4may be joined by means of simple"' weldsl For example,- the side plates 20 and 5 0 can be welded directly tof the ends of the angular cross members I8 and 48.'. The coupling pivots and sockets, as well as the legs I6 and 26, may be'lengths of standard tubing,

the sockets 42 being each welded at one side to the adjacent cross member I 4il 4and the pivot members 54, having theirl upperV ends welded to the under surfaces of the tie 'p'late`s52 l' While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying 'the invention and illustrative" thereof; it maybe understood that the yinventionv is notflimited thereto or thereby, but includes all modiiications and alternative forms which may occur' to those skilled in the fart, and which come within the scope of the yappended claims.

1. In a conveyor of the gravity roller type, a plurality of longitudinally spaced roller-carrying frames having transversely extending cross members With roller supporting means secured thereto, interposed frames between said spaced frames each having transversely extending cross members with roller supporting means secured thereto, pivotal means disposed midway between the ends of said cross members and connecting the interposedframes to said-spaced frames for articulation about vertical axes, and sta-bilizing bars Iattached to alternate frames between said pivotal means and the ends of the rollers of said frames and lapping the cross members of adjacent frames. r

2. In a conveyor of the gravity roller type, the combination of longitudinally spaced supporting roller units each including supporting legs therefor, and supported roller units alternating with said supporting units, cooperating means connecting said units for relative pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, bracing structure for the legs in said conveyor including longitudinal bracing structure connecting the legs of adjacent supporting units, each longitudinal bracing structure comprising members adapted to be telescopically connected to each other, one of said members being pivotally secured to a leg on one of the supporting units and the other being pivotally secured to a leg of the supporting unit adjacent said rst mentioned unit, and means for releasably locking said units against telescopic movement.

3. In a conveyor of the gravity roller type, the combination of supporting units spaced along the conveyor path and having rollers thereon,'supported units alternating with the supporting units and pivotally connected thereto to provide relative pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, the supporting units having legs, and rigid bracing members pivotally secured to the legs and adapted cooperatively to engage one another between sup- Cil porting units substantially parallel with said path, whereby said gconveyor may readily be formed into any desired path.

4. In a conveyor of the gravity roller type, the combination of longitudinally spaced supporting units each including a generally horizontal rigid frame with roller supporting means thereon and supporting legs therefor, and supported units alternating with said supporting units, Said supported units comprising a generally horizontal frame with roller supporting means thereon, cooperating means connecting sad units for relative pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, bracing structure for the legs in said conveyor including rigid transverse members connecting the legs on each supporting unit, and longitudinally extending members connecting the legs of adjacent supporting units, said bracing members comprising telescoping tubular rods having means for releasably clamping same into any adjusted position lwhen telescopically engaged.

5. A substantially portable conveyor adapted for ready variation of the length and curvature thereof which comprises a plurality of supporting and supported roller units, all having free rollers thereon, the supporting and supported units being arranged alternately, the supporting units having central upwardly open pivot sockets and the supported members having central depending male pivot members, carried in said sockets whereby to retain the supported members in coupled, pivotal, readily disassembled condition between the supporting units by virtue of gravity alone, the supporting units having legs, and there being separable, adjustable, rigid bracing means extending between legs of the supporting units :and pivotally secured to said legs.

CHARLES W. PARISI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES lPA'IEJ.\T'IS Y Number Name Date 1,487,634 Waters Mar. 18, 1924 1,935,734 Twomley Nov. 21, 1933 1,962,372 Twomley June12, 1934 2,262,442 Anderson Nov. 11, 1941 2,307,389 `Carter Jan. 5, 1943 2,384,959 Pearson Sept. 18, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 1 Date 550,601 France Dec. 19, 1922 

